Steam trap



All@ 4, 1942- D. H. BROWNELL. `2,292,197

STEAM TRAP Filed April 22, 1941 s sheetsbeet 1 20h19 f6 if@ f4 7,7 H IJAl y ME: Q 25 f I 7L W W 1 Y 16 ZZ X fi I) J// ik d N M /f/Z fv l zal tlr f Z5 a ,a 5 P555 2f. l l H M l f4 y xwwl l 'l 5 a 24 2f llL/fz if Y(25 b y" 45 27 25 2 3; l l 1/ Z W l 55 INVENTOR. F76. 2 B i DEAN A(59am/NELL ATTORNEYS Aug. 4, 1942. D. H. BRowNr-:LL 2,292,197

STEAM TRAP Filed April 22, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Dfw/v H. 5,90WMe-L ATTORNEY' D. HQ @WDWNELL STEAM TRAP Filed April .22, 1941 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. .OE/sw H. Bean/NELL BY M W 95M ATTORNEYS Aug.4, 1942,

W wrrunw Patented Aug. 4, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAM TRAPApplication April 2?., 1941, Serial No. 389,782

8 Claims.

This invention relates to steam traps, and more particularly to animproved construction for steam traps of the open-bucket type.

An object of my invention is to provide an irnproved steam trap, of theopen-bucket type, which is of very simple and compact construction andwhich has the inlet and discharge connections in its top or cover so asto facilitate installation thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved steam trap inwhich valve means controlling the discharge opening is arranged to beactuated by an open-bucket movable upon a xed guide.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved steam trap ofthe open-bucket type having means for directing the iiow of fluidthrough the trap so as to prevent the accumulation of sediment at thebottom of the chamber.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved steamtrap having an open bucket movable on a hollow guide and in which thehollow guide has communication with the chamber of the casing adjacentthe bottom thereof and with the bucket below the top rim thereof so asto cause fluid entering the bucket through the hollow guide to sweepover the bottom of the chamber and prevent the accumulation of sedimentthereon.

My invention may be further brieiiy summarized as consisting in certainnovel combinatiens and arrangements of parts hereinafter described andparticularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings;

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view taken through a steam strap of myimproved construction;

Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view taken through the trap but showingthe bucket in its lower position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the trap asindicated by line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical sectional View on a .larger scale, takenthrough the lower portion oi the discharge tube to further illustratethe function of the valve actuating lever;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken through a modified form of myimproved steam trap;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through such modiiied form0f trap as indicated byline 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an outside elevational view of my improved steam trap;

Fig. 8

is a vertical sectional view taken 55 through another modied form of mysteam trap;

Fig. 9 is another vertical sectional View of this same device taken asindicated by line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a Vertical sectional view taken through still another modiedform oi my steam trap; and

Fig. 1l is a transverse sectional view taken therethrough as indicatedby line II-II of Fig. 10.

Further reference will now be made to the drawings for the purpose ofdescribing in greater detail the construction and operation of certainsteam traps embodying my invention. Before proceeding with such moredetailed description, however, it should be understood that my inventionis not limited to the particular steam traps herein disclosed but may beembodied in various other similar devices.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, my improved steam trap is pro-vided with acasing comprising a top or cover section IiJ and a hollow body Ilconnected with such top so as to extend in depending relation thereto.The hollow body and top define a working chamber I2 which houses thebucket I3 and the other working parts of the device.

To facilitate installation of my steam trap in pipe lines I locate theinlet and discharge openings I 4 and I5 in the top or cover section I0so that inlet and discharge pipes I6 and I'I connected with theseopenings can extend in substantial alignment with each other. The top I0may have additional tapped openings I8 and I9 formed therein to. permitinlet and discharge pipes to be connected with the device in parallelrelation to each other if this should be desirable. When the pipes I 6and I'I extend in substantially aligned horizonta1 relation, as shown inFig. 1, the tapped openings I8 and I9 may be closed by screw plugs 20.

The bucket I3 is of the open type, but instead of being mounted for apivoted or swinging movement as heretofore, it has a substantiallyvertical or straight-line movement in which it is guided by a headedguide member 2i depending from the tcp I0. The bucket may have a guidesleeve Z2 therein which is slidable on the guide member 2| and providesan axial opening through the bucket.

The discharge opening I5 may be controlled by a valve 23 comprising avalve seat 23a. and a movable valve element 23h and may communicate withthe interior of the bucket I3 through a discharge tube 24. Thisdischarge tube may be mounted on the top IIJ, or on the valve seat 23a,

so as to extend in depending relation from the top and downwardly intothe bucket to a point adjacent the bottom of the latter. The lower endof the tube 24 is in open communication with the bucket and carries atransverse fulcrum pin 25, the purpose of which will be presentlyexplained.

The valve element 23h may have an actuating stem 25 extendingsubstantially axially of the discharge tube 24 and provided at its lowerend with a forked head 21. A valve actuating lever 23 is located in thebucket I3 adjacent the bottom thereof and is arranged to swing on thefulcrum pin 25 of the discharge tube. The lever 28 may be pivotallyconnected adjacent one end thereof with the valve rod 25, as by thepivot pin 28a, and adjacent such pivot pin may have a hooklike portion28D in pivotal engagement with the fulcrum pin 25 of the discharge tube24. As shown in Fig. 3, the lever 28 has spaced arms 25o which straddlethe guide sleeve 22 and are forked. or slotted adjacent their outerends, as indicated at 28d. The outer end of the lever 28 may beccnnected with the bucket I3 as by means of a transverse pin 29 whichengages in the slots 28d and has relative sliding therein lduringswinging of the lever. I'he pin 29 may be suitably connected with thebucket as by being mounted in a bracket Si) which may be attached eitherto the guide sleeve 22 -or the bottom wall, or both. If desired, astarlike guide element 3l may be mounted on the valve stem 26 adjacentits point of connection with the valve element 23h and may have slidableguiding engagement with the inner wall of the discharge tube 24 forcentering the valve element with respect to the opening of the valveseat 23a.

The inlet opening I4 communicates with the working chamber I2 at a pointabove the bucket I3 and to prevent the incoming fluid from droppingdirectly into the bucket I provide a baille 32 which deflects the fluidlaterally beyond the side or rim of the bucket. This baffle may be inthe form of a deflecting plate which may be connected to the undersideof the cover I and may extend downwardly and outwardly with respect tothe inletI opening.

In the operation of my improved steam trap, condensate and vapor enterthe working chamber through the inlet opening I4, and as the condensatecollects in the chamber, its level will rise and will cause the bucketI3 to be lifted, that is, to float, thereby closing the valve element23o and preventing steam or vapor from passing through the trap. Whenthe amount of condensate in the chamber I2 increases sufcientlyV itoverflows the rim of the bucket I3 and iilling the same causes it tosink. The downward movement of the bucket rocks the lever 28 on thefulcrum pin 25, causing downward movement of the valve rod 25 andopening of the valve element 23h. rIhe pressure in the supply line Iacting on the condensate causes a ow of the condensate out of the bucketand through the discharge tube 24 into the discharge pipe I'I whereuponthe bucket I3 again rises or -floats and thereby causes closing of thevalve element 23h. It will be observed that during the downward movementof the bucket whichk causes swinging of the lever 2B on its pivot 25,this lever moves relative to the bucket from a position substantiallyparallel with its bottom, as shown in Fig. l, to a relatively inclinedposition, as shown in Fig. 2.

I have provided for an increased leverage to be exerted by the lever 28to forcibly open the 75 valve if there should be a tendency for thevalve element 23h to stick to its seat. For this purpose I may providethe lever with a fulcrum pin 33 which is relatively closer to the pivotpin 28 than the fulcrum pin 25 of the discharge tube. I also provide thedischarge tube with a surface or shoulder 34 against which the pin 33will bear, as shown in Fig. 4, whenever the valve element sticks to itsseat and the lever 28 tends to rock on the pivot pin 28a. The greatermechanical advantage afforded by the fulcrum pin 33 will insureseparation of the valve element from its seat in response to downwardmovement of the bucket.

The hollow body II may, if desired, be provided with a drain orclean-out opening 35 in the bottom wall thereof and which may normallybe closed by a screw plug 35.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I show a modied form of my improved steam trap in whichprovision is made for a sweeping flow of fluid across the bottom of theworking chamber to remove sediment therefrom. This modified form ofsteam rap also comprises a top or cover section 40 and a hollow body 4Iconnected with the top in depending relation thereto. 'Ihe top 40 isalso provided with inlet and outlet openings 42 and 53, the latter ofwhich is controlled by a movable valve element 44 similar to thatemployed in the trap of Fig. 1. The valve element 44 Ais provided with astem 45 disposed substantially coaxially of a discharge tube 45 whichdepends from the underside of the top 4I) and extends downwardly intothe open bucket 41. A valve actuating lever 48, fulcrumed on the lowerend of the discharge tube 46 and having pivotal connection with thevalve rod 45 and the bucket, causes opening and closing of the valveelement in response to movements of the bucket in the manner explainedabove.

In this modified construction the bucket 41 is movable on a hollow guide50 which is carried by the top 40 and extends downwardly therefrom intothe working chamber to a point adjacent the bottom thereof. The lowerend of the hollow guide 5) is in open communication with the workingchamber at a point adjacent the bottom thereof and the upper portion ofthe hollow guide is in communication with the interior of the bucket 41through openings 5I formed in the guide. The bucket is provided with aguide sleeve 52 which is slidable on the hollow member 50 for guidingthe bucket thereon and, as will be seen in Fig. 5, the sleeve 52 issomewhat lower in height than the side wall of the bucket so as to leaveuncovered one or more of the openings 5I.

When condensate collects in the device and flows into the bucket, eitherthrough the hollow guide 5E! or by overflowing the rim of the bucket orboth, it causes the bucket to sink thereby swinging the lever 48downwardly and opening the valve element 44. The downward movement ofthe bucket 4'! also causes the guide sleeve 52 to uncover one or moreadditional openings 5I of the hollow guide 50. The pressure on thecondensate will cause the same to flow out of the bucket 41 through thedischarge tube 46 while the valve element 44 is open. This pressure willcause additional condensate in the working chamber to flow upwardlythrough the hollow guide 50 and through the openings 5I into the bucketbefore passing out through the discharge tube 45. The upward flow ofcondensate through the hollow guide 50 will cause the condensatesurrounding the bucket to flow downwardly in a stream which will sweepacross the bottom of the chamber before it flows upwardly into thehollow guide 50. This sweeping flow of the fluid across the bottom ofthe chamber will pick up or entrain sediment and will carry the same outof the device through the discharge opening. By providing the hollowguide 50 with an axially extending series of the openings I which areuncovered in succession as the bucket moves downwardly, it will be seenthat an opening for the ilow of liquid into the bucket will always beavailable at a point just above the top of the guide sleeve 52.

To augment this scavenging flow of iluid across the bottom of theworking chamber I may provide a baille 53 on the lower end of the hollowguide 50. This baille may be in the form of a disk-like plate mounted onor adjacent the lower end of the guide so as to extend in adjacentsubstantially parallel relation to the bottom of the chamber. When thisbaille is used it will be seen that condensate surrounding the bucket 41must ilow first downwardly and then laterally across the bottom of thechamber before it can pass upwardly through the hollow guide 50.

The inlet opening 52 communicates with the working chamber at a pointabove the bucket 41 and to prevent the fluid from dropping directly intothe bucket I provide a downwardly and outwardly inclined baille 54 fordeflecting the incoming iluid laterally beyond the rim of the bucket.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I show a modied form of my self-cleaning steam trapwhich is similar to the trap of Figs. 5 and 6 but in which the openbucket 55 is guided by two laterally spaced depending hollow guidemembers 55 instead of a single hollow guide as in Fig. 5. The use of twosuch laterally spaced hollow guides has some advantages in that there isless likely to be tilting of the bucket which might result in stickingor jamming thereof. 'I'his is an important consideration in traps of thelarger sizes. Another advantage is that the lever 51, which actuates thedischarge valve 58 in response to movements of the bucket, can be astraight lever extending between the two guide tubes 55 instead of aforked lever, as shown in Fig. 6. When the two hollow guide tubes 56 areemployed each tube is provided with a baille plate 59 at the lower endthereof which serve the same purpose as described above for the bailleplate 53, and the bucket 55 is provided with two of the sleeves 52 whichare slidable on the hollow guides. In all other respects the modifiedtrap of Figs. 8 and 9 is similar to the trap illustrated in Figs. 5 and6.

In Figs. 10 and l1 I have illustrated another form of trap which issimilar in construction to the trap of Fig. l but in which the bucket6I) has two upright filling tubes 6I therein. These filling tubes mayextend through'the bottom wall of the bucket and have their lower endsin open communication with the lower portion of the working chamber I2and have their upper ends in open communication with the interior of thebucket at a substantial distance below the top rim thereof. In all otherrespects the trap of Figs. l0 and l1 is similar to the trap illustratedin Figs. l and 3. When the level of condensate in the chamber I2 risesit will flow into the bucket through the filling tubes 6I instead ofover the top rim as in the tra-p 75 of Fig. 1. When the bucket loses itspositive buoyancy and sinks there will be an additional flow or surge ofcondensate from the lower portion of the chamber I2 up through the llingtubes into the interior of the bucket. Thus it will be seen that theprovision of the lling tubes 6I will cause fluid to flow into the bucketfrom the lower portion of the chamber I2 instead of from the upperportion of the chamber and this will result in the fluid surrounding thebucket first ilowing downwardly toward the bottom of the chamber andthen upwardly through the filling tubes 6I whereby sediment will beswept from the bottom of the chamber and carried along by the fluidbeing discharged from the trap.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will nowbe readily understood that I have vprovided an improved steam trap ofthe open-bucket type which is very simple and compact and which can bemade much lighter in weight than the traps of this type heretoforeprovided. The decreased weight and the arrangement of the inlet andoutlet openings in substantial alignment in the top of the devicefacilitate the work of installing the trap and in many instances make itpossible to install the trap without need for a shelf or other auxiliarysupport. It will further be seen that my improved trap also provides fora scavenging flow of fluid which will remove sediment from the bottom ofthe working chamber.

While I have illustrated and described my improved steam trapconstruction more or less in detail, it will be understood, of course,that I do not wish to be limited to the particular details ofconstruction and arrangements of parts herein disclosed, but regard myinvention as including such changes and modications as do not constitutea departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims` Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In steam trap, a casing having inlet and discharge openings, a hollowguide d d casing, a valve controlling the an open bucket movable on andhaving operative connection with s to actuate the latter, and adischarge t nec' with the discharge opening ing down into said bucket,said hollow guide sage for the now of condensate into the bucket ionwith the chamber of said casing the bottom thereof and with a pointbelow its tcp rim so that 'ng of said valve condensate will flowupwardly f the bottom of the casing into bucket thro-u b said passageand bucket through said discharge 2. A trap comprising a casing havinginlet and discharge openings, a hollow guide depen-ding in the casing, avalve controlling the discharge opening, an open bucket movable on saidguide and having operative connection with said valve to actuate thelatter, a discharge tube connected with the discharge opening andextending down into said bucket, said hollow guide forming a passage forthe ilow of condensate from the casing into the bucket and havingcommunication with the chamber of said casing adjacent the bottomthereof and with said bucket at a point below its top rim so that uponthe opening of said valve condensate will ow upwardly from the bottom ofthe casing into .i guide bucket at u n the the bucket through saidpassage and then out of the bucket through said discharge tube, and abaiiie arranged adjacent the bottom of the chamber so as to cause uidentering said hollow guide to sweep over the bottom' of the chamber.

3. A steam tra-p comprising a casing having a top provided with inletand discharge openings, a hollow guide depending from said top, a valvecontrolling the discharge opening, an open bucket having operativeconnection with said valve to actuate the same and also having therein aguide sleeve slidable on said hollow guide and which is of less heightthan the side wall of the bucket, and a discharge tube connected withthe discharge opening and extending down into said bucket, said hollowguide forming a pas- .sage for the iiow of condensate from the casinginto the bucket and having its lower end in communication with thechamber of the casing at a point adjacent the bottom thereof and alsohaving an opening into the bucket at a. relatively higher point adaptedto be uncovered by said sleeve so that upon the opening of said valvecondensate will flow upwardly from the bottom of the casing into thebucket through said passage and then out of the bucket through saiddischarge tube.

4. In a steam trap, a casing having inlet and discharge openings and aworking chamber, a valve controlling the discharge opening, an opentopbucket having guided substantially straightline movement in said chamberand having operative connection with said valve to actuate the latter, atube connected with the discharge opening and extending down into saidbucket, and means providing a passage connecting the lower part of saidchamber with the bucket and communicating with the latter at a pointabove its bottom but below its top rim so that upon the opening of saidvalve condensate will flow upwardly from the bottom of the casing intothe bucket through said passage and then out of the bucket through saiddischarge tube.

5. In a steam trap, a casing having inlet and discharge openings and aworking chamber, a valve controlling the discharge opening, an open-topbucket having guided movement in said chamber and having operativeconnection with said valve to actuate the latter, and a discharge tubeconnected with the discharge opening and extending down into saidbucket, said bucket having therein an upright iilling tube providing a'passage communicating with the lower portion of said chamber and withthe interior of the bucket a substantial distance below its top rim sothat upon the opening of said valve condensate will flow upwardly fromthe bottom of the casing into the bucket through said passage and thenout of the bucket through said discharge tube.

6. A steam trap comprising a casing having a top and a hollow bodyconnected with said top and depending therefrom, said top having inletand outlet openings therein, a depending guide member connected with thetop, an open bucket slidably guided on said guide member forsubstantially straight-line movements in said casing, a discharge tubeconnected with said top so as to communicate with the outlet opening andextending down into said bucket, a valve controlling said outlet openingand having an actuating stem, a lever fulcrumed on said tube and havingoperative connection with said stem, a pin-and-slot connection betweensaid bucket and lever for actuating the latter in response to saidsubstantially straight-line movements of the bucket, and a fillingpassage leading into the bucket at a point above its bottom but belowits top rim and communicating with the lower portion of said casing sothat upon the opening of said valve condensate will now upwardly fromthe bottom of the casing into the bucket through said passage and thenout of the bucket through said discharge tube.

7. A steam trap comprising a casing having iluid inlet and outletopenings, a hollow guide member depending in said casing from the topthereof, an open bucket having a sleeve slidably guided on said guidemember for limiting the bucket to substantially straight-line movementsin said casing, a discharge tube connected with said outlet opening andextending down into the bucket adjacent one side thereof, a valvecontrolling said outlet opening, a lever fulcrumed on said tube andcooperating with said valve, a pin-and-slot connection between thebucket and lever and located adjacent the opposite side of the bucket,said hollow guide having its lower end in communication with the chamberof the casing at a point adjacent the bottom thereof and also having anaxially extending series of openings arranged to be uncovered insuccession by said sleeve during downward movement of the bucket so thatupon the opening of said valve condensate will flow upwardly from thebottom of the casing into the bucket through said passage and then outof the bucket through said discharge tube, and a baille plate carried bythe lower end of said guide member and arranged to cause the condensateentering said hollow guide to sweep over the bottom of the casing.

8. A steam trap comprising a casing having a top provided with inlet anddischarge openings, a hollow guide depending from said top, a valvecontrolling the discharge opening, an

' open bucket having operative connection with said valve to actuate thesame and also having a guide sleeve slidable on said hollow guide andwhich is of less height than the side wall of the bucket, and adischarge tube connected with the discharge opening and extending downinto said bucket, said hollow guide having its lower end incommunication with the chamber of the casing at a point adjacent thebottom thereof and also having an axially extending series of openingsarranged to be uncovered in succession by said sleeve during downwardmovement of the bucket so that upon the opening of said valve condensatewill ow upwardly from the bottom of the casing into the bucket throughsaid passage and then out of the bucket through said discharge tube.

DEAN H. BROWNELL.

